Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Fichrycoswhi&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Fichrycoswhi’, characterized by its relatively compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; uniform flowering habit; large incurved decorative-type inflorescences with white-colored ray florets; response time about 56 days under controlled photoperiodic treatments; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FICHRYCOSWHI’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATION

Title: Chrysanthemum Plant Named ‘Fichrycosyel’

Applicant: Peter Wain

Filed: Concurrently with this application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium, commercially grown as a disbudded potted Chrysanthemum plant and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Fichrycoswhi’.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Chrysanthemum plants with large incurved decorative-type inflorescences.

The new Chrysanthemum plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichrycospur’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently. The new Chrysanthemum plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Fichrycospur’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands during the spring of 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum plant by terminal vegetative cuttings was first conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands during the spring of 2014. Asexual reproduction by terminal vegetative cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Fichrycoswhi’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Fichrycoswhi’ as a new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact, upright and uniformly mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Uniform flowering habit.     -   4. Large incurved decorative-type inflorescences with         white-colored ray florets.     -   5. Response time about 56 days under controlled photoperiodic         treatments.     -   6. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘Fichrycospur’. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Fichrycospur’ in ray floret color as plants of ‘Fichrycospur’ have inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichrycosyel’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently with this application. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Fichrycosyel’ in ray floret color as plants of the ‘Fichrycosyel’ have inflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Zembla’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,052. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ primarily from plants of ‘Zembla’ in time to flower as plants of the new Chrysanthemum flower about four days later than plants of ‘Zembla’. In addition, plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more compact than plants of ‘Zembla’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Chrysanthemum plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum plant. The photograph is a top perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Fichrycoswhi’ grown in a 14-cm container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring in 14-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom and under cultural practices typical of commercial potted Chrysanthemum production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 17° C. to 21° C. and light levels averaged 6,000 lux. Plants were grown under long day/short night conditions for about two weeks and then grown under short day/long night conditions to induce inflorescence initiation and development. Plants were not pinched and were ten weeks old when the photograph and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichrycoswhi’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of     Chrysanthemum×morifolium ‘Fichrycospur’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant     patent application filed concurrently. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About twelve days at             temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically             light brown in color, actual color of the roots is dependent             on substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous incurved decorative-type             potted Chrysanthemum; stems upright to slightly outwardly             spreading giving a uniformly mounded appearance to the             plant; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 34 cm.         -   Lateral branches (peduncles) Length: About 15 cm. Diameter:             About 4 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Mostly upright to slightly outwardly. Texture: Fine             pubescence. Color: Close to 148B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 6 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Palmately-lobed; roughly ovate with three to five             lobes.         -   Apex.—Broadly acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate and palmately lobed; sinuses             between lateral lobes mostly divergent.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Fine pubescence; slightly             rough; veins prominent on lower surface.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,             close to 138B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 138B.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Fine pubescence; slightly rough.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 138B. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Form and flowering habit.—Incurved decorative-type             inflorescence form with ligulate-shaped ray florets;             inflorescences borne on terminals above and beyond the             foliar plane; ray florets arranged acropetally on a             capitulum; grown as a disbud-type, only the terminal             inflorescence develops.         -   Fragrance.—Mildly fragrant; pungent, herbaceous.         -   Flowering response.—Plants flower uniformly about 56 days             after starting short day/long night photoperiodic             treatments.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Good postproduction longevity;             inflorescences maintain good color and substance for about             three to five weeks on the plant; inflorescences persistent.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—Large, about 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 3 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Oblate. Color: Close to 145C.         -   Ray florets.—Number of ray florets per inflorescence: About             267 arranged in about twelve whorls. Orientation: Initially             upright, then about 80° from vertical; strongly incurved.             Length: About 4 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Ligulate.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Fused into a short tube. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             double-keeled. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to             157C. When opening, lower surface: Close to 157B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155C; with             development, color becoming closer to 155B.         -   Disc florets.—Disc floret initiation and development has not             been observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence: About 40             arranged in about three whorls. Length: About 1 cm. Width:             About 5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             waxy. Texture, lower surface: Fine pubescence; waxy. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: None observed. Gynoecium:             Present only on ray florets. Pistil length: About 5 mm.             Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: Close to 6B. Style             length: About 0.5 mm. Style color: Close to 1C. Ovary color:             Close to N155B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production has not been             observed on plants of the new Chrysanthemum to date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Chrysanthemum plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Chrysanthemum to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have     demonstrated good garden performance and to tolerate temperatures     from about 0° C. to about 35° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Fichrycoswhi’ as illustrated and described. 